Respiratory problems afflict many people throughout the world. Many of these respiratory diseases involve obstruction of the bronchial pathways with bronchial secretions or fluids from the lungs. These diseases may include cystic fibrosis (CF), a much more serious disease. More specifically, with CF patients, the bronchial secretions are very thick and collect in the airways. CF patients require one or more daily percussion treatments to their lung in order to assist in the movement of the aforementioned fluids out of the lungs. As a consequence of reduced oxygen intake and frequent lung infection, CF patients tend to be small, frail and have a life expectancy of less than thirty years.
Manual percussion treatments remain the only proven method for obtaining lung clearance. According to this method, a parent or other adult normally uses their cupped hands to percuss the patient over all of the lung areas (front, back and sides). Satisfactory percussion of CF patients typically requires at least thirty minutes of treatments twice daily. This procedure is both tiring to caregiver and patient, but it is critical to the patient's health and survival. Disastrous consequences can result when percussion is not administered correctly or with the proper frequency. It will, therefore, be seen that CF patients are often unable to travel or live alone and be independent as a caregiver must be present to administer percussive treatments daily.
In response to the obvious drawbacks to manual percussion, over the years there have been several attempts to develop a percussive device to facilitate the removal of purulent secretions from the airways of CF patients. It has long been felt that the availability of such a device would enhance a patient's compliance and aid in the removal of secretions from the bronchial airways.
Several prototypes of a percussive vest have been developed. One such device was a pneumatically based vest that provided for oscillating air entry into an inflatable chamber. Unfortunately, the size, cost, and noise produced by this pneumatic device prevented its general application to CF patients.
Another machine used a series of pneumatic impactors on a vest-like device. Twenty-four pneumatic impactors positioned about the vest were activated sequentially and it was believed this sequential/segmental activation would facilitate removal of secretions from peripheral to central airways.
Another device is the hand-held Puritan-Bennett vibrator/percussor that imparts a very limited percussion into the area beneath a single impactor cup. While the frequency of its percussion can be varied over a wide range, the amount of impact force delivered from this device is limited and is, therefore, without significant benefit to many patients.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to improve the overall health of CF patients and to improve their quality of life.
It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved system for loosening lung secretions to facilitate their removal from the lung bronchi and thereby improving air flow.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a percussive system for the treatment of CF that is effective.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a percussive system that closely replicates manual percussion, thus simulating percussion as well as resonant vibration.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a percussive system that is lightweight, relatively quiet, and easy to handle, which will thereby increase patient compliance.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a percussive system that is affordable.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a percussive system that permits patient self treatment and thus permits the patient freedom of movement and independence.